In My Dreams
by Umbrae Calamitas
Summary: In T.K.'s dreams, Kari is an angel that protects him. When Kari is sick, it's his turn to protect her. Set during episodes 48 "My Sister's Keeper" and 49 "The Crest of Light." Slightly AU.


**Author's Note: **This has the same title as a poem I once wrote. Hmmm…

I have to admit, it didn't turn out quite as I had hoped it would. I kept having to stop in the midst of writing it, so I didn't get to work straight through on it. Though, I am still happy with it. I hope you will enjoy it, as well. It's a tad AU from the actual episodes in which is occurred (Episodes 48 and 49 from Season 1); I know because I'm watching them as I write this.

So, please review and tell me what you think of this story! Thank you for reading and, as always…

_Live long. Live well. Write. _

**In My Dreams**

In T.K.'s dreams, Kari was an angel.

She came to him when he was scared, and she would hold him like his mother used to, before they came to the Digital World. She would stroke his head and whisper encouraging words in his ear. She would hold him while he cried and never tell him to grow up. She would wipe away his tears when he was done, and she would smile.

In T.K.'s dreams, he did not call her Kari. He called her Light.

She made him feel safe in his dreams. When he woke up, he felt brave.

But T.K.'s angel was sick.

T.K. was sitting on the floor, his elbows on the mattress and his chin set on his hands. His eyes never left Kari's face.

The image of her collapsing on the road kept playing over and over in his mind. Why hadn't he seen that she was sick? She had been coughing, but he hadn't made anything of it. He should have said something! He should have known.

T.K. felt tears brimming in his eyes, but he shook his head fiercely to drive them away. He had to be strong. He had to be brave. For Kari. For his Light.

"Uhnnn… Tai?"

T.K. was on his feet and at Kari's side in an instant. Her eyes were only halfway open, the crimson orbs blazing with exhaustion and pain. Her face was red and he could almost feel the heat wafting off of her.

"Tai went to get you medicine, Kari," T.K. explained softly, "but I'll protect you."

Kari smiled softly at him. It was a smile he recognized from his dreams. "Thanks, T.K.," she said weakly. "I'm not so scared now."

T.K. smiled. He watched Kari close her eyes and slip back to sleep. He set down on the floor and stared at her face. She looked so worn out, not like you were supposed to look when you were sleeping. You were supposed to be calm and peaceful when you were sleeping, but Kari's breathing was coming in soft gasps. She shivered from a cold wind that didn't exist, and T.K. gently pulled the blankets further up, covering her up to her chin.

"T.K."

He turned to see Sora come walking back into the room, Biyomon at her side. They had just finished scouting the rest of the large house, searching for something that might help Kari, but there was nothing to be found.

"I'm afraid we couldn't even find anymore blankets," Sora admitted. She wasn't hiding her concern very well. T.K. could see the worry in her eyes. "Oh, where are Tai and Izzy?"

"They'll be back soon," T.K. said in determination, his hand clutched tight around his crest. He knew Tai would do all that he could to help Kari as fast as was possible. Tai cared about Kari as much as Matt cared about T.K., which was a lot. Matt didn't always show it so well, but T.K. knew his brother loved him. It was one of those things that never really needed to be said. Matt knew T.K. loved him, too.

"Uh-oh," Sora said, calling T.K.'s attention. She had pushed the curtains aside and was peering out of the large window. "We've got trouble."

T.K. was watching her, wondering what she was looking at, but he refused to leave Kari's side. He had to protect her, like she always protected him in his dreams.

"We've got to get out of here," Sora admitted, closing the curtains to hide the view inside and making her way quickly over to the bed. "Come on, T.K.. It's not safe here anymore."

She bent over the bed and scooped Kari up in her arms, making sure that the blankets remained tightly wrapped around her small form. She held Kari close to her, as she turned and quickly left the room.

T.K. took a quick glance out of the window. He saw a massive line of rusty metal digimon facing the house, and quickly ran after Sora.

"Wait for me, T.K.!" Patamon called, flying after him.

T.K. followed Sora as she left the house, holding Kari close to her chest. Patamon was flying back and forth between Sora and T.K., his wings silent as they tried to avoid detection from the digimon that had suddenly appeared all around them.

"What are those things?"

"Guardromon," Biyomon replied. "We need to be careful to stay out of sight."

They all agreed with that, and remained quiet as Sora led them away from the house. They moved behind a large hedge, just as a new type of digimon appeared in the sky.

"Kari!"

T.K. lifted his head, gasping softly. "I hear Tai," he said.

"Yeah," Sora agreed, kneeling on the ground with Kari still held in her arms. She was reluctant to leave their hiding place, however, her eyes trained on the sky. She didn't like the look of that digimon in the air.

"We're back, Kari!"

Sora and T.K. felt the ground give a heavy shake, and then vibrations ran up their legs as a huge explosion deafened the air around them. They could feel heat around them, as the house that they had been in only minutes ago erupted in a ball of fire.

"Kari! NOOOO!"

T.K. was scared. The digimon all over the city terrified him. The two dragon-like digimon were still circling in the air, danger on swift wings. But he couldn't just sit idly by. The others were in danger. He had to be strong.

"Patamon!"

"Right!" Patamon agreed, not needing to ask. T.K.'s digivice began to glow. "Patamon digivolve to…"

"Angemon!"

"Oh no, look out!"

"Hand of Fate!"

The missile that had been flying through the air toward Tai and where the others were hiding right behind them was blown apart by the force of Angemon's attacks. T.K. and Sora heard their surprised cries.

Giving himself a mental kick, T.K. moved forward, pushing his way through the hedge until he could see Tai, Izzy, Agumon, and Tentomon. "Hey, what's up? You look tired!" He had a grin on his face as he tried hard to remain brave for everyone else. He could see the concern on Tai's face; the fear of losing his little sister.

"T.K.!"

Biyomon and Gatomon stuck their heads through the hedge as well, and T.K. saw the relief that lit up on his face. "Kari, you're okay!" Tai cried. They leapt through the hedge to where Sora was standing, Kari held fast to her back.

"I took care of them like you said!" T.K. explained. He offered Tai a smile. He had promised he would protect them, and he wasn't going to let them down.

"Oh no! Machinedramon!" Agumon cried.

"Run!" Tai commanded, though they needed little prompting. They retreated into a nearby building far enough to avoid being killed by Machinedramon's blast, but his attack ripped apart the floor, and then they were falling.

T.K. wasn't sure who was calling out who else's name. His ears were ringing from the explosion, and the myriad of voices jumbled together, hideous screams in a fall to their death.

"Kari!" T.K. cried, seeing the unconscious girl falling just under his plummeting form. He reached out and caught her wrist, pulling her to him. He didn't know if they were going to survive this fall or not.

He spared himself a single whimper of fear, before a look of determination stole away his features. He would be brave, like he promised. He would protect Kari, no matter what.

His silent vow was suddenly met with darkness.

When T.K. woke up, they were lying on wet concrete, near an underground river. Still slightly dazed, he looked around. Patamon and Gatomon were lying unconscious on the ground next to-

"Kari!"

T.K. hurried over to his friend. She was still unconscious and her face was as red as ever. T.K. placed a hand on her forehead and nearly cried out at the feeling of the heat. He never remembered ever having a fever that bad, and he made him worry. What would he do? How could he help Kari get better?

"I wish Sora was here," he admitted. "She'd know what to do." Sora reminded T.K. of his mother. She was kind and always willing to help everyone else. She looked out for everyone.

But T.K.'s mind traveled back to his dreams. The dreams in which he saw Kari glowing brightly, with beautiful white wings sprouting from her back. His angel. His Light.

"After that, I wonder how many of my nine lives I still have left."

"Gatomon!" T.K. cried.

The feline digimon rose up and turned swiftly to regard the boy who spoke to her. Her eyes touched on him only briefly, before resting on Kari. For a moment, T.K. thought he saw fear flash through those huge blue eyes of hers, but then it was gone. Gatomon's blue eyes had hardened and she looked ready for a fight. She clutched her paw tightly into a fist, her tail whipping from side to side.

"Kari…" she muttered softly.

"She'll be okay, Gatomon," T.K. assured the worried digimon. He'd suddenly realized where that look had come from. Kari was lying on the ground just like Wizardmon had been after protecting her and Kari from Myotismon's attack. T.K. hadn't known Wizardmon for very long at all, but he had been one of Gatomon's best friends, and it had to be hard to lose your closest friend. T.K. still had nightmares sometimes about the time he thought he'd lost Angemon to Devimon.

"How can you be so sure?" Gatomon asked, and those hardened blue eyes seemed to glimmer unnaturally.

_She's really worried, _T.K. thought.

"I just know," T.K. exclaimed in determination. "Kari's going to be just fine! Everything will turn out all right!"

He and Gatomon both let out a cry when T.K.'s crest began to glow. "What's happening?"

"It's your hope, T.K.!" Patamon cried, having been awakened by the bright light and the energy it brought him. "It's making your crest glow!"

"Wow…" T.K. whispered.

"Uhnnn… Hope?"

"Huh? Kari?"

The three of them turned to face the small girl. She moaned and then slowly opened her eyes. "Kari?" T.K. asked, leaning over her.

Kari's soft crimson gaze focused on him. "… T.K.?"

"Hi!" T.K. said, a grin coming to his face. "Are you okay?"

"T.K…. I was so scared," she whispered. "It was so cold… and then I saw you." She smiled softly. "T.K…. in my dreams… you're an angel."


End file.
